The Fifth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot is pleased to announce that farrier Michael Wildenstein will be a featured speaker at this year's event. Wildenstein will be conducting a workshop on Foot Management Strategies for Laminitis with Dr. Mike Steward. The conference will be held November 6-8, 2009, at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, FL.

The goals of the Fifth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot are the better understanding, prevention, and treatment of laminitis and other diseases of the equine foot. The format includes scientific and practical tracks with topical sessions, followed by small group practical workshops providing information that attendees can incorporate into their daily routines.

Wildenstein is currently a clinician at Cornell University, where he has been working for the last 18 years. Before working at Cornell University, Wildenstein worked in large animal veterinary hospitals in Northern Europe to gain experience working with animals with serious medical issues. His educational background includes farrier certifications in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Denmark.

The Foot Management Strategies for Laminitis workshop will focus on basic principles in the treatment of laminitis through shoes and trimming. Wildenstein and Dr. Steward will also discuss a new shoe that Dr. Steward has been instrumental in designing.

"Historically we have always used a type of shoe or some form of packing that would create greater support for the bottom of the hoof," explained Wildenstein. "Laminitis is an inflammatory disease, and this treatment has produced more positive results than anything else we use. By putting this type of shoe on, we take a lot of stress off of the compromised lamina. Our goal is to make the horse more comfortable as it's going through the disease process."

"We do this because we have a real passion and we have a love for the horses," Wildenstein continued. "Our greatest concern is for the horses' well-being and those that are working with the animals everyday. If we have a product or if we have a way of helping these animals, then we like to share that with others so that they can also make the horses more comfortable."

Wildenstein has been a speaker at the last three International Laminitis Conferences and is excited to attend again this year. "It's always an educational experience, whether you're a speaker or a participant," he noted. "It's a beautiful environment, it's very well-run, and it's a phenomenal group of people that they put together."

The Fifth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Disease of the Foot brings together the world's experts and visionaries on laminitis to create an innovative, educational, and entertaining program for conference attendees to help educate the public and further the fight against laminitis. The Laminitis Conference is led by its Director, Dr. James A. Orsini, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and Associate Professor of Surgery in the School of Veterinary Medicine.

For more about information about the Fifth International Equine Conference, please visit www.laminitisconference.com.